Injuries to a person’s neck or back can be debilitating. In serious cases, individuals who sustain these kinds of injuries may be bedridden for weeks or even months while they recover. In addition, victims may experience significant pain that may interfere with their daily life and ability to work. If a person’s spinal cord is affected by a back injury, there is even the potential for paralysis below the site of injury. When these kinds of injuries occur at work, victims are often able to secure significant workers’ compensation benefits to compensate them for some of their losses. The kinds of workers’ compensation benefits available under Delaware law1 for injured workers include medical benefits, temporary partial disability benefits, temporary total disability benefits, permanent impairment benefits, and disfigurement benefits. The specific benefits and the total amount for which you may be eligible depends on a number of circumstances, and an experienced attorney will be able to evaluate your case and advise you as to what kinds of benefits you may receive. To discuss your situation with an experienced Delaware workers’ compensation lawyer, call our office today. Common accidents that can lead to head and neck injuries at the workplace There are a number of accidents that can occur at the workplace that may leave victims with serious head and neck injuries. Some of the most common are discussed below. Slip and fall accidents – The vast majority of people reading this blog will likely have slipped and fallen at some point in their lives. In most cases, a slip and fall accident results in little more than bumps, bruises, and...

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics,1 private employers reported almost three million nonfatal workplace injuries during 2014. While most people tend to think of high-risk industries such as construction or logging when they considering work-related injuries, injury-causing accidents can occur anywhere. In fact, even the most seemingly innocuous of work environments, such as the typical modern American office, can be full of potential hazards that can cause serious injury to employees. When workers are injured in accidents at work or develop occupational diseases related to their work environment, they are generally entitled to benefits through Delaware’s Workers’ Compensation Program. Consequently, anyone that has been injured in a workplace accident should talk to an attorney about their situation as soon as possible. What kinds of accidents can leave office workers with serious injuries? The kinds of accidents that can cause injury in an office environment are similar to those that can cause injury elsewhere. Some of the more common kinds of accidents that often result in injury include the following: Slip and fall accidents Fires Explosions Accidents involving cutting tools Elevator accidents Accidents involving harmful chemicals Escalator accidents Kitchen accidents Motor vehicle accidents Accidents involving workplace tools In addition to the hazards posed by accidents, offices can also have certain conditions that may cause people to develop serious occupational illnesses or medical conditions as a result of repeated exposure over a long period of time. Examples of these kinds of conditions include air pollution, exposure to asbestos in older buildings, defective or improperly designed office furniture, and poor lighting conditions. What kind of injuries can office workers...

Hospitals regularly employ thousands of people who come to work on a daily basis. While these facilities are designed to treat people who are already injured or ill, hospital workers themselves can often be injured in work-related accidents, including slip and fall accidents. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) indicates [1] that the incidence of same-level slips trips and falls that caused injuries resulting in lost workdays was 90 percent greater for hospital workers than it was for all other private industries combined. Fortunately for workers who are injured in these kinds of accidents, they can often obtain benefits through Delaware’s Workers’ Compensation Program. [2] The most effective way for injured employees to ensure that they get the benefits to which they are entitled is to consult with a Delaware workers’ compensation lawyer as soon as possible. How do slip and falls occur in hospitals? Most modern hospitals are extremely busy healthcare facilities that have people going from place to place 24 hours a day. At any given moment, you can find people in a hospital who are cleaning, eating, transporting patients, waiting to see a physician, moving equipment from place to place, visiting friends and family, or engaging in commercial activity. As a result, there are a number of hazardous conditions that may develop in a hospital setting which have the potential to cause injury to hospital employees. Additionally, equipment malfunctions or poor maintenance practices can also create dangerous conditions that may cause a slip and fall. Some examples of these kinds of hazards include: Liquid spills Debris left in walkways Defective elevators Defective escalators Exposed electrical wiring Torn carpet...

Nonfatal workplace injuries affected some 3 million workers during 2014, according to statistics [1] released by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. Head injuries [2] are among the most serious type of nonfatal injury that a person can sustain as they often have the potential to lead to long-term problems and may even spell the end of a person’s career. Fortunately for people who are injured at work, Delaware’s Workers’ Compensation Program provides people who sustain work-related injuries or who develop occupational illnesses with benefits regardless of fault. Work-related head injuries can occur in a variety of different accidents, some of which are discussed below. If you have questions or would like additional information regarding a specific case, do not hesitate to call our Delaware workers’ compensation law firm today for a free consultation. Motor Vehicle Accidents Many employment positions require that employees regularly drive motor vehicles such as cars and trucks as part of their daily duties. Some examples of the kinds of jobs that may require workers to drive a vehicle include construction, trucking, delivery services, couriers, residential and commercial cleaning services, home repair services, and others. The tremendous forces often involved in motor vehicle accidents can easily cause head injuries, sometimes with devastating results. Slip and Fall Accidents Slip and fall accidents are consistently among the most common causes of serious head injuries. There are many reasons that a slip and fall may occur at work, including an employee’s own clumsiness, torn carpet, liquid spills, inadequate lighting, cracked pavement, accumulations of snow and ice, and many others. When people who slip and fall hit their heads on the ground...

If a worker gets injured on the job and their employer is required by law [1] to carry workers’ compensation insurance, the worker should be able to simply make a claim and receive the medical treatment and other monetary benefits they deserve until they recover. Unfortunately, there can be many complications in the workers’ compensation claims process and a truly injured worker could find themselves facing a partially or completely denied claim. Workers’ comp insurance companies will look for ways to deny claims as the company wants to limit its liability like any other type of business. In addition, an employer wants to limit the number of claims that occur to avoid heightened premiums. For these reasons, both the insurer and the employer may be engaging in investigation and similar activities to try to prove that an injury did not originate from the workplace or that an injury is not as severe as a worker claims. Social media can play a significant role in investigations Social media sites including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and more allow individuals to share a lot of information online regarding almost any aspect of their life if they choose to do so. While some people use restraint on these sites, many people choose to put many details about their interests, experiences, and activities on the Internet. It is especially important, however, to limit what you post online if you have a pending workers’ compensation claim or are receiving benefits. Imagine that you injured your back at work and your doctor tells you that you must rest from your job duties for a period of time because your...